Conventional umbrellas comprise a center post on which radially extending ribs are mounted for supporting a panel. A runner is movably mounted on the center post for manual operation of opening the umbrella. For a large-sized umbrella, such as a beach umbrella and a garden umbrella, the center post occupies the centermost space and often interferes with activity occurring under the umbrella panel. Thus a full exploitation of the space covered by the panel is in general not possible.
Taiwan Patent Application No. 86202611 discloses an umbrella structure in which the panel is supported by a pole located beside the panel, rather than at a center of the panel. A rope system is adapted to control opening/closing of the panel. This structure allows a full exploitation of the space covered by the panel.
However, the panel of the above mentioned large-sized umbrella is fixed at a particular direction. Changing direction of the panel in response to the orientation of the sun is generally impossible.
Thus, it is desired to provide an umbrella structure for overcoming the above problem.